Bound and Hagged

by James McDonald

Bound and Hagged - Greyson Forrester was born and raised to be a powerful wizard. Then it all came crashing down when friends and family were killed when he was a teenager and he got the blame. His powers bound and banished from his home, he was given seven years to figure out what happened and to try and clear his name. The clock has almost run out and he is chasing dead end leads when an old friend calls in a marker. Two girls have been kidnapped, and the few powers he has left to him have made him one of the best trackers in the supernatural world. With his reputation following him, Greyson has made some interesting friends and influential enemies on this side of the veil, and beyond. And they all seem to have their hands in this case. Or tentacles. The Home Summonings series is a dark comedy set where gods and monsters, angels and demons, and obnoxious faerie are all trying to make their way in the world that has dismissed them as myth, or worse forgotten them. Now some of them want to be remembered.

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2014

Reviews

[Toi Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book; sometimes difficult to follow, but totally worth it in the end. The beginning of the book started off much different than the way it ended. Even the main character seemed different and I’m not sure why. It’s almost as if the first 8-10% of the story, excluding the prologue, was an unrelated tale that eventually tied into the rest of the story. Also, I know I’m probably the only fantasy reader on the planet who doesn’t like when books don’t have clearly identifiable chapters and story breaks, but I’ve learned to not let that affect my ability to enjoy the story.

Now, about the story. Greyson, aka Grey” is a wizard who’s had his powers restricted because of a freak accident that killed his family and many others. Apparently, there’s a greatly destructive power hidden within Grey, but neither he nor anyone else actually knows what it is, and we don’t find out by the end of this book. Still, Grey is not without his talents. He can use some magic in self-defense, he can find anything or anyone, not a bad fighter, and is pretty good at cracking jokes. Any and every kind of creature you can think of appears in this story, and if they don’t, I suspect they’ll be in the following installments. I’m so continuing this series and glad I discovered this author at RavenCon.

I like the use of dreams, tech, portals, and interspecies collaboration in this story. It gives it a modern global appeal. For my personal taste, I like the idea of family relations with people you’re not related to by blood. In this day and age, people have the forethought to create the families they want if birth happens to let them down. Overall, I think this is just right for teen and adult fans of urban and modern fantasy.

[Malinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not write a proper review for the fact that I would post spoilers! I will say this though, Bound & Hagged is an amazing read! It put a grip on me from the first chapter. I could not put it down! Its a suitable read for a wide range of ages. If you like fantasy and Greek Mythology then you WILL love this book! I am certain we will be seeing more of James McDonald in the future!

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing

well, I liked the main story. However all the misspellings and extra stuff took away from it. Overall even going back and rereading parts I was confused. In the beginning and the end were a girl named Nora and an old lady named Mrs Tee. I still have no clue who they are.

[Kelly Smith Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young Nora has to go see a mysterious woman named Miss T to learn about her legacy, but the book she has been given makes no sense.
It's about the legend Greyson Forrester, whose wizard powers were bound when he was young, except for his self-defense and Sight abilities. It's almost time for him to be "evaluated" and he needs to be at his best, but a case with cursed money and missing faries takes him into other realms with his old team and the Amazons.
Will Grey stay alive long enough to regain his powers and remain a free man, or will the Dark Faries get to him first?

I liked James McDonald's story well enough. It started off strange, got stranger and the end was the strangest of all. The characters, except for snarky Grey, are all neutral for a while, and there's a reason for that.
There are a myriad of monsters in there, including vampires, Djinn and demons, and they keep the reader's attention.
What I loved most was the descriptive text. I could see every landscape and monster clearly in my mind's eye.
While some more character development would have been appreciated, this is a well-thought out novel that strays from being typically "paranormal". The author's attention to detail during the fight scenes is also a great addition to the narrative. This is like Percy Jackson for adults, in my opinion!

Great book that leaves readers wondering what will happen to Greyson next.

3.5/5--great narrative and detail!

[Jane Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read by a new author

While I enjoyed this book very much, I had to drop it by one star for errors in spelling and sentence structure (some of which made no sense at all). Also a trifle annoying was most of the characters refusal to use contractions, which distances the reader from them because we relate better to people who speak the way we do, and this made them more two dimensional. There is great promise here, however and I will definitely read the next installments in the series. All in all, I don't have the talent to be a writer so admire those who do. I hope that Mr. McDonald continues to develop his writing skills and tighten things up a bit so we can enjoy his stories for many years to come. Favorite character hands down is The Dag. Thank you, Mr. McDonald for sharing your baby with us. I look forward to reading more from you in the future.

[Jason Woodham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bound and Hagged was a fast and fun detective story that weaved its way through a world full of myths and legends. As we wander through the modern-day world with Greyson Forrester, we realize that many of these ancient creatures still walk among us, hidden in the most unsuspecting places of society. MacDonald’s style never lets the action slow while working us toward a larger plot centered around Grey and the mystery of his past. If you like detective fiction and supernatural twists then this is the book for you.

Jason Woodham

[Lisa Hawkridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome. There are two cover designs one with the devil in the hoard of gold and Greyson with his kilt, and the other that features Greyson silhouetted like James Bond holding a gun. This is quite fitting, because the story is mostly James Bond set in Discworld, except with more direct amusing references to our world. Even that isn't quite right, truth be told, because this is something else entirely, that really needs to be experienced first hand.

[Sharon Hughson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something about the author's style kept me from emotionally connecting with his characters. I liked the dialogue, and the action was non-stop. It took me at least a third of the book to become fully invested in the story.
I gave it 3.5 stars because I enjoyed the way he wove magical and mythological creatures together seamlessly. The premise of the series is also unique.

[Nneka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read

I could not put this book down. I was surprised given the genre,however, it gave it new life. I'm looking forward to the next book.